A belated dewenati / happy new year to everyone.

After a month-long break Benn loxo is back. I hope you all had a nice holiday season.

Lately I’ve been reading a great book by Gary Stewart, Rumba on the River. It covers the history of 20th century Congolese popular music on both sides of the river, mainly in what are today known as Brazzaville and Kinshasa. Even if you have only a passing interest in Congolese music I really recommend this book. It’s an entertaining read that packs in a lot of information while still managing to tell an engaging story.

Aside from now knowing a large chunk of the groups involved, I’m no expert in the cultural and social history of Congolese music. One thing I certainly didn’t know is how much of a role Congo’s Greek community played in the development of popular music. Almost all of Congo’s greatest stars such as Franco, Dr. Nico, Rochereau, Essous, Kalle and others got their start in Kinshasa and Brazzaville’s Greek-run studios, clubs and labels throughout the 40s, 50s and 60s.

Much like with the Lebanese of West Africa and Indians of East Africa, Congo had a wave of immigration from European political trouble spots during the first half of the 20th century. Many young Greeks had fled the post-WWI troubles of the Greco-Turkish and Greco-Italian wars at home in search of adventure, stability and business opportunities. Plenty arrived on the banks of the Congos.

For reasons that are still not entirely clear to me many of these young Greeks took an interest in the local popular music of the time. Skeptics might argue that they were in it for the money, but starting a successful record label in mid-century Congo wasn’t exactly a guaranteed get-rich-quick scheme. You had to like the music to take the risk. Regardless, by the early 50s nearly every record label and studio in Kinshasa and Brazzaville was run by Greeks. Names like Olympia, Ngoma, Opika and Loningisa, all Greek-run, will all be familiar to Congolese music enthusiasts.

I found myself wondering: what kind of music were these young Greeks listening to back home before they arrived in Congo?

Some help from my friends at Calabash Music (which has been down for a few days, what’s up?) plus a little armchair research later, I offer you Rembetika: Songs of the Greek Underground. Rembetika was a style from the early to mid-20th century that would eventually evolve into Greek popular music.

You’ll hear two Greek Rembetika tracks today, the first by the famous 1930s singer, Rosa Eskenazi, the second a 1936 recording by Jorgos Batis.

It’s interesting to hear the contrast of the music that Congo’s Greek community left behind in their native country with the new sounds that they were producing in Congo. With that in mind, we’ll also hear some music from a few of era’s big stars, Kalle, Rochereau, Nico and Franco.

ps- there’s been much buzz lately about Matthew Lavoie’s African music blog on Voice of America. Great tunes from a humbling musical archive and wealth of knowledge.

Rosa Eskenazy – Eimai Prezakias
Jorgos Batis – Zoula se mia varka bika
O.K. Jazz – On entre OK on sort KO
Orchestre African Jazz – Merengue Fafa
Kalle and Rochereau – Afrika Mokili Mobimbi

Today we’ll hear a couple tracks off Original Music’s compilation of Zambian miners’ songs, From The Copperbelt. The recordings were all made by the amazing Hugh Tracey.

I’ve always had a thing for southern African, mid-20th century music. George Sibanda and The Forgotten Guitars of Mozambique compilation were early favourites.

From The Copperbelt covers a range of styles present in the Zambian mines in 1957, all based around the European acoustic guitar. Most of the musicians are bards who traveled from mine to mine, entertaining the miners. Others are by the miners themselves. All are great, if you’re into this kind of thing.

Zambia occupies an interesting part of the continent. Its geography influenced its inhabitants’ music, especially at this early stage of “modern” African musical development, such that some music sounds distinctly South African, while much of the rest sounds very Congolese.

You might have already heard some John Lushi, who appears on this compilation, on Original Music’s Africa Dances release.

Isaac Matafwani – Eko Bali Mukanina Bamayo
William Siwale – Mayo Mayo
Four Pals – Nifwe Ba Four Pals

Today we’ll hear a few songs from Original Music’s CD re-issue of their 1983 release, Songs The Swahili Sing.

Initially I wasn’t so into it, but this morning I was really taken by the music.. particularly the music by Yaseen Mohamed and Juma.

The compilation explores the world of Swahili “taarabu” music, particularly its difference from Arab music.

I like this compilation because in a short span of time you get to hear a variety of major musical influences that shaped music from this area. The first track, Watetao, has hints of Cuba. The second, Egyptian pop. (The liner notes claim that Egyptian is a Swahili term for Arab-sound.) The third, Indian.

The last track I’ll post, Lala Mpenzi, is easily my favourite of the bunch. You can also find it on the Mississippi Records compilation, Lipa Kodi Ya City Counci.

O.I. Bampini and the Jauharah Orchestra – Watetao
Abbas Haji and the Egyptian Musical Club – Mahaba, Jamani, Yanaitilie
Juma Bhalo – Kem Kem
Yaseen Mohamed and Saada – Lala Mpenzi

Back to the Original Music posts…

Jamilia: Songs From A Somali city is collection of music recorded in the Somali town of Baraawe, about 120 miles south of the capital, Mogadishu.

You heard a track off this album the other day, Dakhtar, since it also appears on the OM compilation, African Acoustic: Sounds Eastern & Southern.

Today’s track is about, in the words of John Low’s liner notes, “one more woman, one more love song.” It’s sung in Somali. I can’t figure out if it’s played on an oud or a standard six-string guitar, played in a way that makes it sound a bit like an oud.

I wonder if one day instead of posting about music from Somalia we’ll have to instead do mini-features on the sounds of Puntland, Somaliland, Maakhir and Galmudug.

While roaming around the net for pictures of Somaliland, I stumbled upon a great photo site. Check it out.

Amin Xaaji Cusmaan – Laiilaaf

Wow, busy week. Feeling a bit tired this morning. A little Zambian “you’ve done me wrong” acoustic by George Kazoka lifts me out of bed and into my mug of coffee.

Today we’ll hear music from yet another Original Music release that explores the various forms of music that were spawned by the acoustic guitar as it spread across Africa: Guitar Songs From Tanzania, Zambia & Zaire.

You know, I never was good at the guitar. Something about stringed instruments has always eluded me. Piano, percussion, horns, no problem. But for whatever reason my fingers could never quite work the frets the way they should. It’s a shame, really, because it’s such a portable and almost universal instrument. In my next life, I guess.

George Kazoka – Ulayinda Kubota